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Friday, May 09, 2008

LOST: Season 4 Episode 11 - Cabin Fever

Good Morning fellow LOSTIES! Whew, I think I'm still recovering from watching "Cabin Fever" last night. An episode clearly designed to set up the 3 hour finale, but with enough intrigue and action to hold up on its own! This is 2 seasons straight now where they've saved this creepy Jacob-related storyline for the penultimate season finale episode. Naturally, I loved it. But this time travel stuff is sure throwing me for a loop again! We'll get to that down below as it applies to the conversation! I'm fresh out of words for praising the wonder of this show right now so I'll just give "Cabin Fever" a big WOW!!!! and we'll move on to the good stuff!

Synopsis: 3 Storylines - We see the chess pieces put into motion on both sides. For now, we should believe Ben when he calls them "THE GOOD GUYS" - Locke/Ben/Hurley travel aimlessly in search for the Cabin and seek guidance in defending the Island. "THE BAD GUYS" - P.O.'d and Trigger-Happy Keamy returns to freighter with his crew - Drama Ensues. In the Flashback, we see the birth of John Locke and witness key moments in his life suggesting his pre-destination. Let's break it all down!

THE "BAD" GUYS

It seems like there were minor casualties from their encounter with the smoke monster. 2 episodes ago, it seemed like all of Keamy's crew bought it. Last episode it looked like they were carrying one guy. This seems to remain consistent in this episode as they pull one man off of the chopper. Keamy explains that a large cloud of Black smoke took him 50 feet into the air and tore his guts out. Niiiiiice. Sounds a little like what happened to Seth Norris, our fearless Pilot of Oceanic Flight 815.

Keamy goes straight after Captain Gault suggesting that he ratted the mercenary out to Ben. Gault denies this and takes Keamy to Michael's "CELL" where he is cuffed. Well, apparently Michael's task is not done yet. Because Keamy went right in for the kill and the trigger would pull with no bullet leaving the chamber. CRAZY!!!!

Michael seems very proud of his working for Ben and providing him with information to use to his advantage. While the gun doesn't work on Michael, Keamy does get a nice elbow to Michael's face.

The Black Smoke victim dies driving Keamy to further need for Revenge. He tells Lapidus to get chopper ready. Lapidus suggests that he was only supposed to fly SCIENTISTS to the island. I knew I liked that Frank guy!

Gault suggests that people have come down with a "SICKNESS" with Regina throwing herself overboard (first time we blatantly see on the show the same term being used for what has happened to freighter crew as the "SICKNESS" that claimed Rousseau's crew.) He suggests maybe Keamy is getting a little sick himsef. He denies.

Keamy, wasting no time (man this storyline was moving at light speed! thanks a lot writers strike!), ripped a key from Gault's neck to open a safe requiring 2 keys. Time for Plan B! Keamy refers to Ben knowing they were going to "TORCH THE ISLAND" We get confirmation that this is not what Gault signed up for either. (I'm sorry, but why were we so convinced to be scared of the Captain by everyone before we met him? He never seemed to do anything out of the ordinary except let Regina jump off the freighter!)

Keamy opens the safe (apparently Plan B is sponsored by Widmore). He mentions that in the safe holds the secret to where Ben is going. Well, when he flips open the book, did anyone notice the DHARMA logo that we were all meant to see? Hmmmm opens up so many possibilities. But the initial possibility is that we are going to have that forseen showdown at the Orchid Station in the season finale (the logo is for the Orchid Station that we've seen in a pre-season 4 video and I believe we saw the logo on Ben's Parka when he mysteriously arrived in October 2005 to Tunisia)

This suggests to me also that perhaps Widmore IS a descendent of DHARMA and still seeking revenge on Ben for the PURGE (of course Ben does not take the blame for this as we'll explore later). We were told in this week's podcast that more DHARMA mythology will be revealed to us in season 5 possibly explaining the Food Drops that occurred in season 2. But maybe Widmore's involvement is a connection. We'll see next year!

Dez and Sayid have a chat with Captain getting caught up on what's going on. Sayid wants everyone off of the island. The captain is willing to help. He allows them use of the boat to go back and warn his friends and start bringing them back.

Lapidus encounters Michael. He asks why Michael didn't tell him he was an 815 survivor. Michael reinforces that Keamy is going to kill everyone when he goes to that island. And he doesn't suggest anyone should live with that on their conscience. Here we go with Michael's redemption tale. Will he sacrifice himself for his friends? Will the island allow him to die in this fashion?

Sayid jumps in the boat and is ready to go. Desmond REFUSES to go back to the island. "I've been there for 3 years brothaaaaaa. I love Penny!!!!" Sayid understands this. Dezzie clearly states to Sayid to stick to the right bearing. Don't want any crazy Time-Mind travels!!! Sayid ships off to the island.

Oh right...so I forgot to mention OMAR (random Freighter folk that seems in line with Keamy) receives the MORSE Code message asking about the Doc from Daniel. Doc is still alive at this point. Omar brings up the Morse Code message to Doc later in the episode foreshadowing his ultimate death. Of course, the message stated a lot more detail that Dan had mentioned when he sent the message. (slit throat and showing up on the beach and all)

Well the reason I menton all of this now is because there is the eventual stand-off between Keamy and Lapidus. Frank tries to hold his ground and say that he was not sent to fly these people to kill everyone on the island. Frank doesn't think Keamy will shoot him since he's the only pilot. So instead, Frank kills the Doc, slits his throat and throws him off of the freighter. Oh yeah, and he shoots Captain Gault too. Oops!!! Frank - "Okay Keamy - you're nuts, I guess we're going to the island!" Frank activites the SAT phone, wraps it up in a bag and they head to the island.

Before we get to the final scene with this crew...let's dig into some crazy time things going on here! Okay, so producers mentioned in some crazy interview that Communications via a SAT PHONE would probably occur in REAL-TIME. But sending messages through a telegraph (a la Morse Code) or signals from a Radio Transmission (a la Glenn Miller on the Radio for Sayid and Hurley in season 2) would run into some crazy time-distortions. That's all well and good....so the Morse Code message seems to have been sent BEFORE the Doc was dead (minutes or hours before he died). But here's where my problem comes in. Keamy was ON THE ISLAND in the episode where Doc comes ashore. Are we meant to assume that these storylines aren't necessarily occuring at the same time chronologically? That can really screw us up because we're so focused on any time elements of the show! But that doesn't make sense either right? Because THEN it seems like minutes later the chopper is arriving ashore and this is a day or 2 after Jack's appendectomy. How did the BODY arrive to the island days before the Chopper? This doesn't seem to fit the mold of Dan's "your friends haven't been gone as long as you think they have" But maybe it does! I just don't see how they'll be able to logically explain any of this! With Michael Crichton-like fiction or not! But I'm anxiously awaiting their attempt!

We should also note this RADIO thing that Keamy attached to his arm. They pointed it out twice. SLEDGEWEB says it looks like an XM radio. Any thoughts out there? I'm sure this will play a part in the finale.

So yes, we do see a glimpse of our Team Jack Beach Dwellers as the chopper approaches. It flies right over them but it slows down just enough for Frank to drop that SAT Phone off. Jack sees that it is tracking their movement. "I think they want us to follow them" Hmmmm ultimate showdown at the Orchid Station for ALL Island dwellers? I'm sure they'll wait to make their next move until Sayid gets ashore, which will probably be perfect timing with Sawyer, Miles and Aaron returning. So 5 of the Oceanic 6 will be in one place. But Hurley is still with TEAM JACOB! Which reminds me...we need to talk about Locke!

John Locke - The Chosen One

Birth

We open up the episode jamming to some Buddy Holly "Everyday." We all know that Buddy Holly died in a plane crash. Keeps with the theme of them using various musicians on the show that died in Plane Crashes.

It would seem like the 1950's based on the outfits. Emily Locke and Mother have an argument. She runs out of the house and gets hit by a car. We find out she's pregnant. John Locke is born 3 months pre-mature.

Locke fights off many illnesses but fully develops. The first sign that he is SPECIAL.

He catches the eye of one RICHARD ALPERT - yep he still looks the same age! Thank God Nestor Carbonell is back on the show! Team Darlton should definitely sign him up as a regular for season 5 and 6 (if necessary) to ensure that we will be able to get his full story. Ever since he appeared to Ben as a 12 year old boy and looked the same age as he did in present day, he has our curiosity peaked! What is up with this crazy guy?

Only thing else to note is that Emily (whom next time we meet she is helping Locke's Dad con John out of Kidney) abandons John. She had made claims to an Immaculate Conception during that CON with Locke's dad. Perhaps Anthony Cooper was NOT Locke's father? I think that would take away a lot from that story if this was the case though. So I'm not going down that road!

Childhood

Locke gets a visit at foster home by Richard. Richard has a bag of tricks that he wants to show to John. He lays them out on the table and asks John which have belonged to him previously. Okaaaaay...this is weird!Baseball Glove, Book of Laws, Bottle of Sand/Pebbles???, Compass, "Mystery Tales" Comic Book with the text "Hidden Land," and a KNIFE

Sledgeweb's site suggests that this process is gone through to find the new Dali-lama. It does have a bit of a reincarnation vibe going on with it. There is nothing still suggesting that Locke is NOT, in fact, Jacob. How Ben ties into all of this seems to be getting weird and weirder but more intriguing at the same time!

Note: First thought is to assume this Compass is the same one Locke uses on the island. But if you examine the picture, it is not.

Anyway, Locke picks the Sand, the Compass and the Knife. Upon picking the knife Richard seems upset, grabs his things...states that the knife did NOT belong to Locke and then he leaves. "he is not ready yet" woaaaaaa Now the Foster Home "MOM??" seemed to be in the loop on why Richard was there. Unless it was just about this SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED that Richard went on about.

Awkward High School Years

We find Locke "LOCKED" (no pun intended) in his high school locker. Lots of people laughing at him, a nice cut on his lower lip. And of course a GERONIMO JACKSON siting in his Locker!!

Locke's sciene teacher approaches him about someone from Portland recruiting him for Science Camp. It was that crazy MITTELOS crew again (anagram for LOST TIME), that recruited Juliet to the island. Ahhhh remember back in the season 1 days when we thought everyone was on that plane for a REASON? When we pondered that there were people out there RECRUITING specific people for the island? Well in John Locke's case, this may be absolutely true! Richard was also the one who recruited Juliet under the Mittelos name.

John tries to deny his fate by saying he's into Fishing, Sports and Boxing. The teacher tells him he cannot deny who he is. He can't be a superhero......John brings out his favorite line "Don't tell me what I cannot do!!" I'm gonna go ahead and guess that Locke did NOT go to Science Camp!

Locke - The REHAB Years

No sense in drawing out the suspense to who was helping Locke in Rehab. It was Matthew Abaddon. The very same man we see meeting with Hurley in his flash forward, claiming to work for Oceanic Airlines but asking if there are ANY SURVIVORS. The same man that was seen giving Naomi her instructions to bring these 4 crazy people (Miles, Charlotte, Frank, Dan) to the island and apparently had some other mission PRIOR to them going to the island. The same man that told Naomi "There were NO survivors of flight 815"

Well now Matthew pretty much convinced Locke to go on a "WALKABOUT" (yes the same as the title of Locke's first flashback episode that reveals he was in a wheelchair. the same episode we first heard him say "don't tell me what i cannot do! This is my destiny! I was supposed to do this!!!") Matthew says that the walkabout is a journey of finding onesself (or something like that). He says he went on one himself and came out a totally different person. I'm gonna go ahead and guess that ol' Matty intended for this "WALKABOUT" to occur on FANTASY ISLAND and not necessarily in Australia. Of course, directing Locke to Australia was the key to getting him on flight 815.

So who IS this guy??? Is he an island native in cahoots with Richard? Why would he be haunting Hurley if he was? But why also would he be behind Naomi sending this group of scientists to the island along with a nut who believes the fake Flight 815 was indeed FAKE!? I'm intrigued. I'm sure he'll factor into our 3 hour finale but will we get any answers?

He says he's a lot more than an orderly and when Locke finds himself "You'll OWE me" hmmmmmm foreshadowing? Is Abaddon Jacob? Now THAT would be crazy! I guess we'll find out in due time!

The "GOOD" GUYS

Comical opening to this storyline when the 3 of them are wandering through the jungle and they all pretty much figure out that no one knows where they are going! Hurley - The man who has seen the moving cabin, Locke - the man who HEARD Jacob, Ben - The man who has previously been TIGHT with Jacob. Ahhh quite a braintrust! Well Locke decides to set camp for the night.....ENTER CRAZY DREAM LAND!

We see Horace Goodspeed in the dream. No, kids, this is NOT Jacob! (Can't tell you how many people came up to me asking why ABC showed Jacob in the promos! We never even saw Jacob except for a glimpse that looked like John Locke with a lot of hair!) Anyway Horace was the man that was present at Ben's birth on the side of the road and also the guy that recruited Roger (Roger "Workman," ben's dad) to the fabulous life of a DHAMRA Janitor!

We see Horace in some kind of loop chopping a tree. He says he's building a cabin for the family (ahhhh so he build Jacob's cabin!). Told Locke that if he finds him (horace) then he will find Jacob. And Jacob has been waiting a long time for him.

When Locke wakes up he has a clear sense of where to go. And Ben states "I used to have Dreams" hmmmmm Maybe Richard gave up on Locke when he picked up the knife and then THOUGHT Ben was the Chosen One. And this inspired the Island supporting Ben.

Locke leads Ben and Hurley to the DHARMA grave. Great clip with Hurley "What happened" and Locke pointing to Ben "He did."

Of course Ben, as we stated earlier, claims it was not his call. He was not ALWAYS the leader of the Others. It seems Richard was appointed to find their next leader. This is all we have to go on for now!

Locke jumped into grave and started looking for Horace. Hurley asks if this is where Ben shot Locke and left him for dead. He said yes and he wasn't thinking straight. If he was, he would've known it was pointless. (it's comments like this where I think...well maybe the producers are making it up "a little bit" as they go along!!)

Locke finds Horace and the BLUEPRINT for the CREEPY SHACK! Apparently this tells Locke how to find a moving cabin!

Locke tries to send Hurley back to the beach but Hurley doesn't want to risk the jungle by himself. Ben states something to the effect "you convinced him that it was HIS idea to stay. good job!" John "I'm not you" Ben "I know" hmmmmmm So did he or did he not CON Hurley? Weird.

Anyway, they arrive to where the Cabin should be and Ben starts talking CONSEQUENCES. How he was ONCE the chosen one and then he got a tumor on his spine and his daughter died. "Being the chosen one is a Bitch!" he says! Sorry for making this a PG Blog this week kids!!! Apparently Consequences for actions will become a central theme on LOST. Ben may face consequences for summoning the Smoke Monster. Did Ben fault the island at some point during his leadership? Who knows??

Okay....so this was some creepy stuff. So Christian Shephard is in there waiting for Locke. He is speaking on behalf of Jacob. We've already discussed to no-end how we know Shephard is dead. We don't have an answer to this yet. We should note that he's wearing different clothes than the normal suit and sneakers (he was when he was holding Aaron last week too). The big shocker is the CLAIRE is in the shack too! And man does she look creepy! "HI JOHN!!! I'm with him now"

Okay, I'm sure many of you have heard the rumor now that Claire may have died in the explosion during the OTHERSVILLE Invasion. Hints towards this: She mentions Charlie when she wakes up, and Miles various comments and stares in the 2 episodes since the explosion. Miles has a tendency to pick out dead people from a crowd. When Claire makes a comment like "i'm a little woozy but I'll live." Miles responds "I wouldn't be too sure about that" Interesting right???

Well Christian says she is where she is supposed to be and to not tell the others you've seen her. Aaron is where HE is supposed to be and that is not HERE. hmmmmm wasn't he supposed to be raised by Claire???

Anyway, more on that to come in another episode! But discuss away your thoughts! I'm intrigued!

Christian says that Locke should know why he's here. Locke says "I was chosen to be here"....Christian says "that's absolutely right" Locke FINALLY senses that he is getting answers in his island quest. Christian says to ask the question he is supposed to ask.

"How do I save the island?" (we see Christian and Claire's faces...a smile on both)

Next scene we see Ben and Hurley splitting a candy bar. Locke comes out......Ben "did he tell you what we're supposed to do?""He wants us to move the Island"

BOOM.......LOST!

Woaaaaaa So remember when we suggested that the island might be mobile? This explains the Nigerian Drug Plane being able to get to the island. Possibly why things from the Indian Ocean have ended up on the island. Lots of possibilities! How does the Island Move??? well I have no idea. Does it involve the Orchid Station? That would be my guess since that's where Keamy is headed! But this clarifies why Ben says to Widmore "you'll never find it" when we already knew he had found it!

Lots to discuss with this episode. But we have a great setup for a fantastic finale! What did you guys think of this crazy episode? I'm sure I missed stuff. It was a late night when I watched it. Discuss your thoughts and let's look forward to the 3 hour closer and what will most likely be another spectacular finale!! See you next week!

The origin of Locke the chosen one. The thing I noticed is this. Does Abaddon work for Witmore or not? Seemed to me Richard and Abaddon are two opposing forces of the island that are trying to recruit special people. The light verses dark just like Backgammon that we see again, but which one is the light and the dark? And did you notice Richard failed twice in recruit Locke but it only took Abaddon one visit to set the events in motion to get Locke on the island.

That brings me to another question. If Richard was at Locke’s birth how did he get off the island? We thought they were using the Orchid station but Locke must be in his late 40’s and DHARMA and the stations weren’t on the island until the 1970’s so how are they doing it???

What was with Claire? That smug smile after Locke asked how to save the island made it look like she knew the answer and her attitude was like she understood everything about the island.

Which item do you think Richard wanted Locke to choose? The glove, bottle of sand(?), book of laws, compass or comic.

If Goodspeed built Jacobs cabin does that mean Jacob wasn’t around before DHARMA? And if he was around did he just wander around the jungle or confined to the ask ring?

I loved it when Keamy’s gun jammed when he tried to shoot Michael, the island isn’t done with him yet.

Yeah definitely a good call. I'm sure you could go back to some season2 blog archived discussions here where I've discussed the "moving island" theory.

But I don't think just saying the island is "moving" is enough. It sounds like it's been pretty stationary recently. So it sounds like they need to take ACTION to move the island. Which makes me still wonder if the island has moved SINCE the Yemi and Plane ended up on the island.

Sted as for Richard leaving the island. Good point. So it doesn't seem to be by DHARMA technology right? How about Tom's comment how "SOME OF THEM" can come and go from the island as they please? I was thinking there might be more to this when he said it and it referred to people like him and Richard. Maybe there's something more there.

I thought ALL of the items Locke moved towards him were things he supposedly "previously owned" except the Knife. And that's when Richard stopped the process. Ironically, Locke brought that case of knives onto the island....so what's THAT all about?

good question on Jacob/Cabin stuff with Horace. No idea! but good question! lol

First of all, I know Locke was young, but don't you think he might have had some memory of Richard when he saw him again on the island? And how about just a recollection of the name after he was invited to Summer Camp by Dr. Alpert? It seems like Locke would have pieced some of that together (maybe he has but we just haven't been shown that episode yet).

Also, now that we see that Locke was targeted by the Island since his birth and that he was surviving ailment after ailment, what does that say about Rose? We just assumed at first that the island healed everybody but now it seems to be more selective. Last week Rose seemed surprised that Jack had gotten sick because, "You get better on this island."

So can we now assume that Rose is special in some way as well. Is she perhaps another candidate for leadership? There's got to be a reason they've kept her around when she's had so little to do with the story the past couple of seasons.

As for Ben, is he really resigning himself to his fate now? He seems to have accepted that the Island has turned on him, that he has lost his power so to speak. Is this just another one of his mind games? In his flashforward it seemed like he was still in control, that he could still do whatever he wanted to do. So I'm intrigued.

Finally, I think that the show last night established that the future is known. That folder that Keamy pulled out of the safe was like the failsafe future. "If this doesn't work then this is what Ben does" kind of a thing. This all lends validity to the theories about the Island being a place where something needs to be altered to change the course of human history. And it seems like Widmore has the blueprint for what did happen. So is he trying to change it for the good or for his own evil scheme? Is Ben trying to fix things himself or is he trying to make sure they happen as they originally did?

I am under the distinct impression that Richard is Locke's father. The mother said that the man Locke's mother was dating was twice her age. I put her at maybe 16 - 17 years old. That would put the father in his thirties right? About the age Richard appears to be. (Who knows how old he REALLY is. The guy never ages...)Also, when Richard shows up at the hospital, Locke's grandmother is visibly startled by him. The nurse asks "Is that the father?" she responds "No" but really quickly, like she's obviously being untruthful. If Richard is as connected to the island as he is portrayed, and Locke is his son, that would seem to tie Locke's specialness together...

What if Richard time traveled back to Locke's past after meeting him to see if he is the chosen one? Would maybe explain why Locke doesn't remember him?

I think Abaddon is working for Widmore, but that Richard is not. Is Richard working for Ben? I don't think so, I think Richard is working for the island/Jacob and was using Ben as long as Ben was in sync with the island.

Who was the leader of the Others at the time of the purge (Ben/Jacob/Widmore/Richard/Christian Sheppard/Abaddon/someone else)?

What a great Lost recap. I agree that Claire must be dead, but the only thing I have trouble with is that she carried Aaron during the jungle trek after her home exploded which seems odd if she was already dead. But whenever she died, I definitely think she was dead while sitting with Christian in the cabin.

This was an amazing episode and love the recap!!!! I love the new Claire is getting a bigger role even if she might be dead......Also I really like the comment about Richard and Abaddon being the opposing forces of the island. didnt even think about them compared to the whole black and white backgammon game.....

claire can't be dead, can she?....charlie died to save claire. What about desmond's vision where, if charlie dies, claire goes off the island in a helicopter???? What about that? i think claire must be alive and she feels protected from the keamy gang by hanging with christian. But what convinced her to give up the baby...at least temporarily?

But it'll be cool to see Emilie de Ravin try to pull off acting creepy in contrast to Claire's previous sweetness. I hope that over time she descends further into creepiness to a point à la River Tam in Firefly. It'd be a cool device to drive a quest for revenge against Keamy by Sawyer, Locke, or Hurley-- the fact that he killed someone so sweet and beautiful and, via the effects of the Island, she has in fact become a perversion of her living self.It'll probably be Sawyer, 'cos he needs a new quest for revenge.

You know I have always loved this blog..I have never disagreed with your posts and ideas but I for the first time..I have to say that I disagree with you I think that there is the possiblity that Claire is dead but I don't think it was when the house exploded...I think she mentions Charlie's name when Sawyer finds her because he came to see her to lure her out of the house..she had stepped out in time...I personally think she is alive, but I am opened minded to the fact that she may be dead...if this is the case then it happened after she left with dear old daddy...who I think is Ole Smokey, kind of like Yemi did with Echo...

I am so confused with this show but am so addicted...I love the three stooges scene with Hurley,Ben, and John...when they wee all following eachother and no body knew where they were going? LOL Great Great Great episode..

Wow, lots of new commenters on here. Love it! Thanks for the blog props everyone.

Just for the record, on the "claire being dead" theory. I wasn't trying to suggest that I am subscribing to this theory. Just stating that there are lots of facts to support it for the time being. Personally, I'm not sure how I would feel about it if that were the case. But, I think if they did go with GHOST CLAIRE, then she could serve as a nice BRIDGE into the world of LOST GHOSTS and maybe they could explain that mystery through her.

I dunno...I was confused about the Helicopter Vision (Desmond's vision of Claire getting on chopper) right when we realized Kate was raising Aaron. Something just wasn't adding up!

I think that both of the theories floating around about Claire can be correct to a point.

I think she was knocked unconscious in the explosion and had a near death vision of seeing Charlie and/or was just really loopy when she said it.

Based on Miles' comments about her not living much longer, I think Claire could have been suffering from a brain hemorrhage or an aneurism because she was lucky to survive the blast at all. Since Miles is "in-touch" with the dead, he could have sensed how close she was too dying.

As for Desmond's recollection of Claire and Aaron being rescued on a helicopter if Charlie sacrificed himself, I think Desmond mistook a female (Kate) holding Aaron for Claire holding Aaron. Remember the producers saying that Desmond may remember his visions (like the outcome of the soccer game) slightly wrong.

I know that I have brought up the fact that the childbirth issues on the island may have to do with Ben's mother dying during his childbirth. I don't know for sure, but I doubt that the Dharma people would want to come to the island if the women would die if they became pregnant. After all, wasn't Goodspeed building the cabin for his "family". Anyways, I think the island being in sync with Ben may have caused the birth issues in the same POSSIBLE way that the smoke monster MAY have only become an issue once Locke arrived at the island.

Finally, in the Bible Jacob is the father of Benjamin and the great-great-grandfather of Aaron John is also a descendant of Jacob. I (and other people too, I am sure) have been saying that maybe Aaron is special and meant to be a major "player" in regards to the island in the future. We have already seen how Ben and John are important. We also know one of the major themes of the show is science versus faith. It makes sense to me to have the Biblical relations of these characters' names may possibly be very important and play out in the show to represent the faith aspects since there is mention of such things as time travel and particle accelerators to represent the science (physics, lol) side of things. I don't think it is coincidence that Ben, John, and Aaron all appear to be special in some way and were all brought to the island and/or found by the factions involved with the island: John (Mittelos); Ben (Dharma); Aaron (???). And we know that Jacob is very important to the island. Also interesting is that Aaron and John are from a different side of Jacob's family (different wife in the Bible) than Ben. Could these two different sides be represented by Dharma and Mittelos?

Does Widmore represent an entirely different faction that now has Jacob's two lines of "descendants" (John/Aaron and Ben) aligning against Widmore to protect Jacob and the island?

I am sure that cdstedman will hate everything I just wrote, but thought the above points at least deserved some discussion.

I have been reading this blog for the past month and I love it. Did anybody else notice that Locke came out of the cabin with a lot more stuble on his face than he had when he was first talking to Christian? It was so noticable that I immediately replayed it and Locke's facial hair definitely changes from next to nothing in the cabin to major stuble. Maybe Locke was in there far longer than it seemed to Ben and Hurley. Another time chage affecting the island? Or, is this just the writers using a Moses type change like the visible affect on man after he sees the face of Diety? If it does mean anything I would lean toward a time shift that allowed Christian the extra time he needed to give Locke the information he needed on how to "move" the island. Locke may have been in the cabin longer to him that it appears to Hurley and Ben. Take a look, the difference in Locke's face is very obvious. Any thoughts?

A few more thoughts, it appears that the ship's doctor's body washes up on the shore "before" he is dead on the ship. But, when Dan the physicist has a rocket launched and tracked as it flies to the island it appears to arrive "later" than it should. We know that the coordinates to approach the island must be exact or bad things can happen (like Desmond's time traveling in his mind meltdown). But, could how you approach or leave the island determine the affect on "when" you show up on the other side? The reason I think this is important is because it may help explain how Kate has custody of Aaron. If the Oceanic 6 return after months on the island with a small child how would Kate, a convict, be allowed to keep another person's child. The authorities must think that Aaron is hers. In fact, in her flash forward Kate's own mother thinks the baby is Kate's. Kate's mother refers to Aaron as her grandchild. So, I think when the Oceanic 6 return it will either seem like they were gone less time or more time, to the outside world, than what our losties have experienced on the island. Otherwise, Kate would have to have been extremely pregnant when she got on the plane to convince the outside world that Aaron is hers. I'm just thinking that unless they think Aaron is Kate's baby there is no way she would have him during her trial. BUT, if the 6 come to the outside world and more time has passed on the outside world than on the island(in other words the Oceanic 6 have been gone longer to the outside world than they think they have been) then they may be able to convince the outside word that Kate gave birth to Aaron. Or, if it appears the losties were gone from the outside world for a shorter time than has passed on the island then they might be able to somehow convince the authorities that Aaron was on the plane with Kate. So perhaps the Oceanic 6 leave the island on a coordinate that alters significantly their arrival time in the outside world. Just throwing it out there........

For a while after watching the episode I was trying to make a connection between the actor who plays Horace (Doug Hutchison) and Widmore - I recognised Horace to be Percy WHETmore from The Green Mile...for ages I was convinced it was Percy Widmore and was trying to connect the two! :P

The episode was fantastic and I am glad to see that Mike has been right about the movable Island since Season 2! Tells me I am reading the re-caps and opinions of the right person, does that.

Very intrigued by Claire's appearance and involvment with the Cabin and Christian...I don't think she is dead, not sure that would work. Rather intrigued by the way she didn't seem bothered by John mentioned Aaron..would love to know what happened there!

Glad to see Matthew Abaddon making a comeback as well, that was very interesting that he was trying to influence Locke...I love the theory someone mentioned ^^up there^^ about the Backgammon pieces, White and Dark corresponding with Richard and Matthew.

I forgot to note in my previous post about both theories on Claire being right to a point (alive versus dead) that I think she may have died from a hemorrhage or aneurism during the night when she saw her father. Sorry for any confusion.

Everyone can see the cabin, but only dead people can see the 'dead' people who are apparently inside. Lock was shot by Ben, maybe in some weird case he is alive and dead living two lives in LOST. Christian is dead, fact and Claire possibly could be?

I had a brainstorm relating to moving the island. Assuming I recall correctly the producers saying it might be more important to think about when the island is as opposed to where it is, I am thinking that moving the island refers to moving it in time, not in location. Maybe even both. Please comment!

Nope, agree with every word. There have always been parallels between the bible and Lost, especially in the naming of characters. And the thought of Desmond miss interpreting his vision and it being Kate is interesting. We never saw that vision like we saw the others so they could be setting it up that way.

Horseman

The only problem I see is if the island move just through time Whitmore would still know the location and I think the point is to hide the island from him.

And this thought has been going through my head about the O6 after Cabin Fever. Jack and crew follow the sat phone to Frank; Hurley makes his way there as well. Frank rushes the O6 onto the chopper and takes them to the freighter but when he goes back for more survivors Locke has moved the island and he can’t rescue anyone else. The O6 didn’t choose to leave everyone else they just couldn’t re-find the island.

Do we think that the O6 will actually leave on the freighter? How about that thing in the previews with the big entryway opening...seemed like one of those big Cargo Planes didn't it? I don't think that was the freighter.

And what about that runway the OTHERS were building on Alcatrez 2.0 ....what was that for? lol Just thought I'd bring that up for kicks. Ooh...and if the Island moves (location not time)....does that mean the Hydra Station would NOT move with the Island since it's separate? hmmmmmm

Horseman - I think your theory is an interesting one with moving through TIME. I just don't know how that would all work...but then again I don't know how ANYTHING works on this crazy show! That's the beauty of it!

Also good catch britt on the comic book. Not sure why I didn't think to look at that one a little more closely! lol

cdstedman - Love the idea that the Oceanic 6 can't re-find the island if Locke moves it. How will they get baaaaaaaaack!!! Did anyone see this week's TV guide? Page 17 shows a particle accelerator in Europe that looks like the inspiration for the Dharma logos. It also shows a picture of Jack wearing what looks like Hydra station scrubs - is this a picture from way back when Jack removed Ben's tumor (I sure hope it's not from the future!).

No we don’t know they leave on the freighter, that’s just my guess. But the big door opening sequence doesn’t have to be the freighter. They all had suits on as well it could just be their ride back to America from wherever they land after leaving the island.

Is there any evidence to support the theory that Ben and John are twins (anybody else bother reading "Bad Twin"?)? Just something to ponder. The May 12-18 TV Guide also has a blurb about a Jacob look-alike (see pg 8). Page 6 also shows a picture from this week's episode with Jack, Kate, Miles, Daniel and Sayid wandering through the woods with Frank's sat phone. Should be a real doozy!

I don't know how moving the island through time would work either. But think how frustrating it would be to Widmore if he not only has to figure out where on earth the island is but also when it is! I find the island moving through time an interesting dynamic to the show and might help explain the hyerglyphics, etc. And I think whatever "move the island" means, it has to be dramatic, right? I mean, if Widmore knows where it is, it can't just move at a few miles per hour, can it? I am assuming an instantaneous movement through both space and time. Man, this is one cool show.

I need to go back and watch the Purge episode again. I've thought all along that Ben was responsible, but maybe it was Richard who ordered it? Ben said in this past episode that it 'wasn't his decision'.

I'm going to start watching the show from the beginning of Season one all the way through over the summer. There's just no telling what we might catch by watching the show again knowing what we know now. Mike V - would you lead a blog? I bet I'm not the only one who's going to go into withdrawals!

No, we’ve seen the two separate births of Ben and Locke so they’re not twins. Brothers may be. Both their moms are named Emily so it’s possible she had another baby later on and named him Ben before she died.

Is Richard Locke’s dad? Possibly, we never saw the older man but I’m assuming it was Cooper and not Richard. I think he was there just to witness the birth of someone special. It would be very creepy if only Richard could father special people; he would be a busy man, and besides Walt looks nothing like him. lol

yeah I agree on Cooper being the Dad. They put too much work and time into that storyline with Locke and Sawyer having that connection and Locke having to kill him and the identical kidneys and all of that. I don't think Richard will end up being the father. But obviously he is a key figure in island mythology!

We'll see about the summer blog...I usually tend to just keep the finale blog up for people to post comments on...and i'll randomly post new thoughts that come to my head! I too have been rewatching season 1 (almost onto season 2). Helps me remember everything that needs to be connected once this show is all done! lol Let's play it by ear!

The article is very interesting (I rate it a WOW!!!, lol). But before anyone starts saying that this is too technical, I think we should remember that the producers have said that they try to find a basis for what is happening on the island in science even if science can't completely explain everything that they are doing with "Lost". What I am trying to say is that the writers can briefly talk (enough so that the mass audience won't question it) about how electromagnetism, particle acceleration, etc. can make worm holes/time travel possible while still keeping the science faithful interested.

Just a final random thought:

I know that we both have talked about the island moving being the most likely scenario for how Yemi's plane and the Black Rock got to the island. I have also stated (others have too I am sure) that I think the island is a place where the past, present, and future are all intertwined. Do you think it is possible that Locke moves the island in the "future" which also allows Yemi's plane and the Black Rock to reach the island in the "past" and accounts for the time/daylight differences occuring in the "present"? This would also create the possibility that Locke = Jacob. . .

I get what you're saying Addict and it sounds like an interesting theory. So you're not saying the island moves through time...you're saying it moves locations but the island is still all TIMES at one Time. Which would cause the plane to get there etc...

I kinda like the idea that the island may move in space AND time which could also cause Yemi's Plane/Black rock to be on the island in the past as a result of Locke's moving of the island. I also like the fact that Locke could be Jacob due to the moving of the island into the past (especially since he kinda looked like him the first time we got a glimpse of Jacob). Of course Jacob didn't really sound like Locke when he said "HELP ME" that was kinda nuts.

Whew...so many possibilities on where they're going with this. Hopefully they'll make more sense of it than we are! lol

cdstedman - why do Abaddon and Richard have to be on opposite sides? Assuming that Ben is good as he says, that would make Richard on the good side as well since they both seem to work for the island. We have seen Abaddon send 2 scientists, a pilot, a ghostwhisperer and Naomi to the island via the freighter, but not that he put the freighter or soldiers in play. Abaddon could be a Ben or Richard spy within the Widmore side of this, as Michael was a Ben spy ON the boat.

Can't see that Abaddon is working for Widmore - so far nothing Abaddon has been seen doing (by us anyway) seems to have benefited Widmore, still assuming Abaddon has nothing to do with Keamy being on the boat.

MikeV: Interesting re-visiting Abaddon and all his visits to the characters.In a real-world time line he visits a pre-crash Locke and talks him into going on Walk-about which sets him up to be on the island. A little over a year later he tells Naomi - who is in charge of getting 2 scientists, a pilotand a ghost whisperer onto the island - stating NO 815 survivors. Some timeshortly after that he is asking Hurley - are there any urvivors ? Makes me wonder if he means the people he sent and not 815 survivors !?!

Areupokey: Agree - Ben has to be playing a mindgame. He would not be so resigned to have lost his island.

MrPr3f3ct: had that same thought - that Richard is Locke's dad ! Only I have always believed Richard is an original inhabitant of the island so why would he be traveling off the island and having sex with young girls!Cooper the kidney stealer would be a better thought. But John's grandma sure seemed upset to see Richard though ! Think Grandma could be involved in this whole thing - part of Dharma somehow ??

Agree with someone who said the Plan B is the sanctuary, it ws my first thought. Think it was cdstedman.

I'm torn about Claire being dead. They were so very clear that she had to raise that baby. It was only after she insisted that she wouldn't that they put her on that specific flight. And of course Des's vision that Claire gets on the chopper. Of course - Claire COULD get on a chopper butstill not get home with the O-6 ! LOL

horseman: LOVE the theory that move the island refers to moving it in time.Maybe even time and location are changed! Time being changed could explain how Ben can seem to play people so well - he already knows future or past events. Always possible that changing the time could also change access tothe island which could stop Widmore.

cd stedman: interesting theory that the O6 are the only ones rescued due to the island moving - except that Jack states that Sawyer chose to stay. ButYour theory could work if the inhabitants are told it's moving and some choose to stay and move with it though.

I am not quite sure what I am saying, lol. It is easier sometimes to think it than to put it into words.

I think the island exists in the past, present, and future, but I don't know if it is able to move through time by itself or if someone like Locke has to make it happen once (coming up during the current time line) and then the island is able to do it by itself (either move forward or backward in time) or if someone like Locke needs to make it happen each time.

I too like the idea of the island moving through time and space. I think the island has been moving through time the whole time either slowly (causing the time differences) or maybe a lot at once, but the people on the island aren't aware of it because they are moving in sync with the island. I also wonder if the island has been moving in space the whole time too. I keep thinking about the Doc's comment that the ship was definitely moving. Maybe it is close enough to be in sync with the island?

Either way, I think the island is definitely moving through space AND time. Moving through space could lead to the time issues that we have seen on the island (Dan's experiment and the helicopter ride). On the flip side, if the island is able to move through time, then by default almost, it would be able to move through space.

I am interested to see if one causes the other or if they are both individual happenings.

I want to agree with you that the Island it could be changing times as we speak (or more technically as the episodes air lol) but the one thing that throws this off is the Desmond conversation with Penny. We pretty much confirmed in that episode that the same amount of time is passing on and off of the island. But there are some distortions in the traveling in between. Also...I know you were saying before that it didn't seem feasible for Michael to have gone through all he that he did off the island in the time that he was gone....but the fact that we saw it was christmas season when he left, and that Desmond and Penny talked on Christmas Eve (just as Dez promised he would 8 years before)...just seem to tell me that we're still in the same time zone...(for now)..... I am thinking, like you're suggesting, that it might take a certain ACTION to make the island MOVE to a different place/time. But as for the island existing in the past, present and future...i guess that could still be in play lol Afterall, Frank, Sayid and Dez DID take a certain BEARING off the island to the freighter possibly putting them there in the correct time. Also, this reminds me. Did anyone catch Frank saying something to Keamy like "i don't want to take Faraday's bearing again"? it seemed like if they went at a certain time of day, they wouldn't have to take the bearing. Not sure if i made that up. I still haven't watched the episode a second time.

Would Frank work? If the O6 aren't teleported or time traveled off the island, then I keep thinking they leave via the helicopter.

Since we know future, drunk Jack is trying to find the island and that Frank was part of the expedition on the freightor to find the island and also knew how to safely travel to and from the island, it would make sense that Jack would be looking for Frank and go to Frank's funeral, but resent Frank for bringing the soldiers to the island and bringing about the changes that caused Jack to leave the island and now want to get back. Kate could also resent Frank for having to leave Sawyer behind and since she seems to want nothing to do with going back to the island, maybe doesn't want to see any "reminders" of what really happened with the O6 leaving.

It probably isn't Frank, but he seems kind of like a bum, which could explain the lack of no one coming and the plain casket.

Michael makes a lot of sense, maybe just too much sense for the way things happen on "Lost".

Yeah, I hear what you are saying, but I am one who thinks that Michael boarded the freightor during Christmas time, but that once the freightor found the island, time is no longer moving normal.

I am still waiting for a typical "Lost" twist in Penny's plot line, especially since there was nothing definitive in the conversation between Desmond and Penny to say that they were both in December 2004.

I may be wrong, but I am still not convinced that Desmond and Penny were talking in the same "time". I haven't read anyone agreeing with me on this point, but I am still convinced. After all, they both were not talking on sat phones (so we know from the producers that temporal distortion is possible). I say likely. After all, Widmore says that Ben won't be able to find Penny sometime in 2005 when supposedly in December 2004 she still had her same telephone number. The last reason why I don't think Penny was talking to Desmond at the same "time" is that in island time, Penny just talked to Charlie within days (maybe a week) before talking to Desmond. Based on their true love for each other, I really doubt that Penny would be sitting in her flat celebrating Christmas and not trying to track down every freightor's location around the world.

Finally, what could make Desmond and Penny's love story even more romantic than if it connected them from two different "times" as well as space.

i just don't think the producers would take away from the emotional climax of that episode. Desmond told Penny that he would call her on Christmas Eve 2004. and there she was waiting for the phone call BY herself on Christmas Eve. And it was the most emotional phone conversation ever! lol I personally would be ticked off if they went and said they were talking in 2 different time periods! lol It would take away from one of the best episodes on the show not to mention best dramatic moments on the show! (right up there with Jack beating on Charlie's chest! lol)

Frank in the coffin is interesting. Could be. I still go back to the area of town of the funeral and the fact that Kate didn't want to go either. We still don't know if Michael goes to the island or comes back with them.

I know Michael seems too obvious...and might be a little bit of a letdown if it's the case. But it just doesn't seem like the facts fit perfectly for anyone else! lol I'm not going to guarantee it with 100% certainty...but it's really the only guess that ever made sense to me. BUT...if it ISN'T Michael and it's one crazy twist of a person in the coffin...then it could raise another year of questioning of how it could possibly be THAT person in the coffin. Why would Kate say that about HIM/HER? Why would Jack be so upset? etc.... or they may just nip that one in the bud on May 29th..lol

Once again, I hear what you are saying, but if I am right, wouldn't that allow for an even more emotional episode when Desmond and Penny reunite in the same "time"?

I know that I am out on a limb all by myself with this theory, but why would the producers "leak" that a phone call between two sat phones is not affected by temporal distortion, but other forms of communication can be? It seems (to me at least, lol) to be too important of a clarification to only explain the radio station that Sayid picked up during an earlier episode. The only other really important communication that I can recall not occuring between two sat phones is the conversation between Penny and Desmond.

I for one was ticked off when Boone, Ecko, and espcially Charlie died, but know that the writers won't let me down over the remaining episodes.

There are a lot of polar opposites going on in Lost, Jack and Locke (science vs. faith), Ben and Witmore (fighting for control of the island), why not add Richard and Abaddon being on opposite sides, it goes along with the theme of light and dark. And look at the styles the two used on Locke. Richard was patient, trying twice to get Locke to choose to come and accept his destiny on the island. Abaddon flat out told him to go on a walkabout that we know got him to the island. He just threw him in cold turkey while Richard wanted to do it gradually.

I really think the producers were trying to convey that while conversation via the PHONES between island and freighter caused no distortion in time....RADIO SIGNALS and POLYGRAPH (aka morse code) signals between the island and freighter COULD be distorted.

I don't think they were talking at all about the difference in time between the freighter and the mainland. I just assumed that anything off island was the same timeframe. i know the closer in proximity to the island the crazier the people on the freighter got....but i don't think they want to confuse us THAT much! lol

I am not an expert on boat radio communications, but I thought that they work via radio signals, which leads me to think that the call could have been subject to temporal distortion. My reasoning is that the call (morse code) about the doctor was affected by temporal distortion with one end of the call being on the freighter and we know that the freightor and its people seem to be affected by the island, so another call (the one between Desmond and Penny) could also be affected since one end of the call was also on the freightor.

I am willing to see how it turns out, but I don't think Desmond and Penny were talking in the same "time" and have always had this thought since the first time I watched "The Constant". But all that means is that I am probably wrong, lol.

Confused about something... the sat phone works by bouncing signals off a satellite... it would continue to work like that regardless of whether you are broadcasting voice or Morse code. Why then is one time distorted and the other not?

Good question noel. and I have no answer lol It's a question for the almighty producers who made the comment! lol Maybe the SAT Phone has an option to send signals via radio waves and that was the only function that was working properly? I think the phone was dead, but they used the pieces Magyver or Sayid style to try and send some kind of signal.

Addict, your theory is an interesting one and definitely would be one crazy twist on the show. I guess we're just gonna have to agree to disagree on this one. lol My stance is that Freighter is "OFF-ISLAND" so any communication between Freighter and Mainland would be the same. We'll see!

Mike...love the blog! Possible theory: Since the island can move, and Locke seems to have been destined to come to the island, any chance that the island was moved to "catch" flight 815? With knowledge of the future, Ben or whomever would know where the island needed to be. This could also explain the alternate 815 crash site.

I hear you. This is the exact reason that I thought for sure someone on the boat was lying to the "Losties" until we saw the doctor alive on the boat. What really threw me was the "communication" between sat phones as I thought this covered the morse code, but as we now see, the radio signals and morse code comment somehow trumphed the sat phone communication comment.

I totally agree about the many opposites of characters/characteristics on this show, and totally agree that Richard and Abaddon COULD be on opposite sides of the tug-of-war for the island - just not ready to say I think it IS that way yet. LOL.

Abaddon has not actually done or said anything that points to what side he is playing for. Hell - he could be a third side. LOL

Addict:

Liking the Frank in the coffin theory. I know alot of people want to believe it's Michael - or even Claire now. I have always believed that Michael was too too obvious and would be a disappointment then if it were Michael.

Also - a few weeks ago I was posting that I felt it was not one of our major major characters since I read an interview that (I think was Kimmel) where Lindeloff and Cuse stated something to the effect that we would not go 'who is that !'. My opinion then became that they would not tell us that we wouldn't say that if it was someone that we'd been knowing for 3 years or so - so that the coffin person is known, but not a long-time lostie.

You’re right, they haven’t given us much info about the motives of Abaddon, and I just really like the idea. It reminds me of Star Wars that the producers like so much. There’s Richard “Locke, trust your feelings. Which item belongs to you?” And Abaddon “Locke, give into your anger and go on a walkabout.” LOL

I keep forgetting to mention...if the bearing is so critical to getting to the island, how did a dead body somehow find it's way there? Maybe there's more to it, like, if you don't follow the bearing you can still get there but there are consequences (physical and mental)? I cannot imagine this is a logic flaw from the LOST writers...

The reason why I hope that one of the O6 isn't in the coffin is that there are so few "Losties" to tell the part of the story off the island in the future. On the other hand, if one of the O6 does end up in the coffin, then it could lead to a major story line next year on how did that person die, why didn't the other members of the O6 visit, and does it motivate the other members of the O6 to try to and/or return to the island?

At this point, I am hoping for anyone other than Michael to give us something to talk about. I consider "Lost" to be anything but boring, but having Michael be the one in the coffin is the "boring" answer (to me at least because it is the most obvious). The one thing that I could say for having Michael in the coffin though, is it would give a nice tie into how Jack is feeling guilty about leaving the rest of the people he promised to get off the island for the good of the few (especially Kate and/or Aaron?) in the same way that Michael chose the good of himself and Walt over the other "Losties". So if it is Michael, it fits that Jack is neither friend nor family, why Kate wouldn't want to go, and why it is emotional for Jack. Maybe knowing that Michael was able to somehow redeem himself gives Jack the sliver of hope he needs to fulfill his promise to those left on the island.

You just explained every reason why I've saying Michael fits the picture the best based on what we know. But I know what you guys are all saying about the OBVIOUSNESS-angle too. So I've never really come out and said that it's definitely Michael. Just that the facts all fit.

But here's a question, and I posed this before I think. I don't think Team Darlton is going to CHANGE their original plan for who is in the coffin based on viewer feedback. So my question is, at the end of season 3, would we have said that Michael being in the coffin was obvious? I remember initially after the episode aired that Ben, Locke and Sawyer were the big names going around. Michael's name was out there (especially with the neighborhood of the funeral) But keep in mind, we didn't know for sure that Harol Perrineau was returning to the show. THEN at Comic-Con they revealed he was which kinda ruined the spoiler of the MAN on the BOAT. And then also got people thinking during the summer "well maybe he IS the one in the coffin"

I dunno...I guess I'm sick of guessing! lol We've waited a year and we finally will get that answer. But there is no WAY that we're going to get the answer without another question behind it, right? lol This show has NEVER worked that way! So, even if it DID turn out to be Michael, I'm sure there will be some mystery. Especially, if Michael is unable to die and then we see him in the coffin. Then the question will be...well what did he do for the island to allow him to be able to die? lol

I dunno...just a thought.

Could be a minor player or a Non ORIGINAL LOSTIE like MJ said. But I don't know if I read that based on what Darlton said or not lol

I just hope we have some original losties left to get us through season 5 and the majority of season 6! I mean, they were the original reason we invested in this show right? lol

His wife's theory on the smoke monster is very similar to the comments posted about smokey on this blog weeks ago by a couple of astute people (cdstedman included). Maybe Mrs. Jensen is a frequent visitor to your blog, lol.

One final comment about Michael being in the coffin. He only joins the freightor crew because he wants to die so badly. Why would he return to the states and wait years to kill himself? Unless, he found such great redemption for helping the O6 escape, but would only helping to rescue 6 lives be enough to compensate the other two he took himself and the countless others that were affected? I am still thinking it isn't Michael, lol.

Do you know whether the coffin secret will be revealed tonight or in two weeks?

” Abaddon has not actually done or said anything that points to what side he is playing for. Hell - he could be a third side. LOL”

Been thinking about the third side you brought up. There is a third we haven’t heard from in a while. Ms. Hawking and Brother Campbell, the coarse correctors. Abaddon could be involved with them. And we’ve only seen Ms. Hawking and Brother Campbell once so we don’t know if they age or not but if they don’t Richard could be involved with them as well. Would be a cool twist.

It makes sense. I got this off lostpedia. “Damon Lindelof describes Hawking as "some sort of temporal policeman in place to make sure that everybody who is supposed to get to the island, does." He says this is related to the grand scale of Fate versus free will”

Yeah, way back in season 1..I kinda start feeling that vibe that everyone on that island had been RECRUITED or some higher power had PREDESTINED them to be there. Arranging the Flight 815 Crash, Black Rock placement in the middle of the island's dark territory, Desmond's Sailboat crash, etc...

It seems they are headed in this direction with things we've seen from Richard, Abbaddon and Hawking (maybe even the Monk guy you mentioned too stedman).

The question of aging with Richard. Is it possible that it's not that he's AGELESS, but that he's been time traveling also? Very interesting character! I want more! lol

btw...I know we had brought this up before but wanted to bring up again with a slightly different twist (can't take credit..it's out on the net somewhere lol and Jensen kinda mentioned it too): What if Richard was given a few pieces of information to work with and was charged with finding the CHOSEN ONE? Facts: Born Pre-Mature, Mother's name is Emily..etc... First he thinks it is Locke but when Locke takes the knife at 5 years old he becomes discouraged. Right around that timeframe is when BEN is born (also to an Emily)...so then Richard begins his quest to get Ben to the island thinking HE is the chosen one. So, if that's the case...would Horace Goodspeed be in cahoots with Richard even though he was part of the DHARMA initiative? Afterall, he did bring Roger and Ben to the island and just HAPPENED to be on the side of the road when Emily went into labor.

And here's something I haven't thought about for awhile...(totally random too)...what about when Juliet told Richard that she wanted her ex-husband to get run over by a bus...and then it happened??? woaaaaaa Are we ever gonna get more on THAT?

Chosen one theory. It’s starting to look that way, however that story’s been done to death and the Lost writers have always done a good job of surprising us in their story telling so well see if that’s the direction they go.

I think we’ve seen all we’re going too on the bus. I take it as Ben wanted Juliet on the island and Ben gets what he wants, at least back than. So if her ex is the only obstacle in the way of getting her he’s going to take him out via greyhound. It does make me wonder if he causes Michael to get hit buy the car or Locke’s mom.

Let's go back to shortly after the turn of the Twentieth century, the days of Einstein and other early theoretical physicists. This was the dawn of the age of quantum mechanics, which provided new understanding and insight into physics at the sub-atomic level. New mathematics described the behavior of the tiny particles that make up all of matter in the universe. The math was clearly described in terms of numbers, symbols, formulas... however the application to nature as we know it was strange, weird, bizarre.

It was very difficult to wrap the human brain around many of the concepts of quantum mechanics, and the math alone was inadequate to explain the problems. Thus, physicists and mathematicians turned to "Gedanken Experiments," German for Thought Experiments. Applying the known concepts of quantum mechanics to situations in the "real world" allowed a conversation to take place in a way most anybody could (sort of) understand.

Before I lose you, here is an example. In the mathematics of quantum physics, time travel is THEORETICALLY possible. One of the most famous Gedanken Experiments is the Grandfather Paradox. If you could travel back in time, could you kill your grandfather? Logic tells you that no, you could not, for if you did, you would not exist. (Pause here and consider why Locke insists that "he can't" kill his father, he needs somebody else to do it.) The beautiful thing about Gedanken Experiments is that they are both scientific and philosophical, perfect fodder for a creative writer. In the case of the Grandfather Paradox, while they logic is clear, the actual experience of it is a mystery. Imagine actually standing there in the past, holding a loaded gun to the head of your grandfather... what would actually prevent you? "Something" would, some unknown mechanism of physics... and that is where the writers of "Lost" imagine for us.

"Lost" is a grand Gedanken Experiment, a test of science and philosophy. It asks the question, What if time travel were not only possible, but real, with technology developed in a manner as realistic and consistent with known theoretical physics as possible? And to make it even more dramatic, What if you could travel back in time, AND NOT KNOW IT? The passengers of Flight 815 have done exactly that, and the writers have made the audience go along with them, sharing the same sense of confusion and mystery.

Let's talk about what we know about time travel today. We are not talking about cheesy movies of the past, where one can travel back to the age of dinosaurs or the middle ages. In fact, in the "real" science of time travel, a few things are known by the constraints of physics and quantum mechanics.There is a conceptual model of a real time machine, and it works something like this:

A time machine must have two parts, essentially two portals, connected by a wormhole (or black hole or whatever you want to call it). Door #1 is built alongside Door #2. Door #1 is allowed to continue along the "present"timeline, while Door #2 is encapsulated in a bubble within space-time, thus separated from the present timeline. This would require a great amount of energy and technology obviously unknown today... but thanks to the writers of "Lost," it has been solved by Dharma Industries. The amount of separation would be only slight to begin with... say, 108 minutes. Since Door #1 exists in the present timeline, it can safely be located anywhere (Dharma headquarters?). Door #2, now operating in a different place in space-time, in the past, must be safely located in a remote location, for any type of interaction with it from the outside could be catastrophic.

There is a very important concept in time travel here, which is that you can NEVER travel back further in time than the creation of your time machine; Hence the impossibility of visiting the dinosaurs, etc. Now, if the two doors of your time machine were separated by only 108 minutes at the initial "event", but then allowed to just sit there, then both timelines would progress at the same pace, forever separated by only 108 minutes. Traveling to the past, but only by 108 minutes, would not be very interesting. Much more exciting would be to keep Door #2 back at the original time of its inception, while Door #1 continues to move forward in time. You could do this by continually "resetting" the clock on Door #2. Over time, the separation between the two doors would grow and grow, from minutes, to hours, to days, to years.

If you actually had the technology to achieve time travel in this manner, there are MANY profound questions you would have to test and answer in order to be confident that you could safely operate the time machine without catastrophically altering the future. The Grandfather Paradox is the most obvious, but actually only one of many questions.

ANSWER #1: What is the Dharma Initiative? It is the building and testing of a time machine, as described above. Door #1 is at the Dharma Headquarters, Door #2 is on the Island in the remote South Pacific.

The question isn't, Where is the Island? The question is, When is the Island? The answer to that depends on how long ago, in the present timeline, the time machine was created... approximately 14 years ago, I believe.

ANSWER #2: Why must the button be pushed every 108 minutes? This "resets"the clock of Door #2 of the time machine, essentially holding it at the time of its inception in the relative past. If allowed to pass 108 minutes on the clock, then the time machine will lose the ability to reset itself. Why, then, must it be pressed by a person, and not just programmed to reset itself? This is because the controllers at Door #1 do not have control over Door #2 in the past, and should disaster strike, and nobody is left alive in the past at Door #2, it should be allowed to pass 108 minutes and no longer reset. ANSWER #3: What happened when the clock was allowed to pass 108 minutes? Door #2 of the time machine lost the ability to reset, and will now continue to progress along a timeline into the future, locked at approximately 14 years separation from Door #1.

What are some of the other critical questions, like the Grandfather Paradox, that must be answered when considering time travel? Here is a great one:

What if a childless woman travels back in time and conceives a child? ANSWER#4: A childless woman cannot travel to the past and conceive a child, because if she did, she would not have been a childless woman. In "Lost", both mother and child die before the birth, thus preserving the timeline and laws of nature. Perhaps the Others do not fully understand this, and brought in fertility doctor Juliet to see if they can overcome this obstacle.

Consider another:

What if a child travels back to a time before he or she was born? Perhaps nothing... but what if the child dies in the past, before being born? Again, impossible. ANSWER #5: The Others abduct children on the Island to protect them at all costs, for they cannot allow the catastrophic violation of the laws of nature of a child dying before being conceived.

And yet another:

If you travel to the past, will you be the "you" of the present timeline when you arrive, or the younger "you" of the past, or some combination of the two? I do not know, but I believe this offers insight into why John Locke can walk on the Island despite being paralyzed. ANSWER #6: Locke can walk not because the Island has powers to cure, but because he has traveled back to a time BEFORE he was ever paralyzed. He is somehow a blend of the Locke of the present and the Locke of the past.

Who is Ben? I believe he is the creator of the time machine. The Others are his associates living in the time-space bubble around the Island and Door #2 of the time machine in the "past." They are managing it and testing the effects of time travel, and strictly controlling who exits this bubble into the outside world.

How does one arrive at the Island? There are two methods of traveling to the site (and time) of the Island. First is the controlled method via Door #1 at Dharma Headquarters. It is not via plane, submarine, or any other traditional method of transportation.

The other method is in the accidental collision with the time-space bubble that surrounds the Island, as happened with Oceanic Flight 815, the Portuguese woman's helicopter, etc. Despite the many theories that abound in online forums, the Others did not know that Flight 815 was coming or going to crash at the Island. It was a chance encounter. It was a disaster that created a paradox... what happens to a plane that crashes in the present, while entering the past? This leads to the question of whether the passengers are alive or dead, answered by talking about a cat.

Schrodinger's cat, to be specific. Again, quantum mechanics can be very strange. One of the strangest behaviors in particle physics is known as Superposition, which is the ability of a particle to occupy two different states simultaneously (like up and down, left and right, here and there, etc.). In the world we know, you cannot be both here and there, but in particle physics, a world of probability, chance, and duality, you can. How can one imagine this? Another great Gedanken Experiment was conceived, as follows:

Place a cat in a sealed, steel box, along with a bottle of poison. In addition, a radioactive element is placed within the steel box. The decay of this radioactive element triggers a hammer, which breaks the bottle, releasing the poison and killing the cat. For the observer, outside of the box, you do not know when this radioactive decay happens. Because of the laws of Superposition, the radioactive element can occupy both states simultaneously, for the briefest moment. For that blink in time, the bottle is both broken and intact... the cat is both dead and alive, at the same time. This is a puzzle of science, but more important perhaps is the philosophical question of what does it mean to be both dead and alive?

ANSWER #7: The passengers of Oceanic Flight 815 are dead at the bottom of the ocean. AND they are ALIVE on the Island. They are both dead and alive. I told you that you would love this one. Since they are alive in the "past" of the Island's timeline, can they return to the present in which they are dead? I guess that is the ultimate question that we will have to watch the show to find out.

A suggestion of an answer is found in Locke's/Sawyer's father. We were led to believe that he died in a car accident, and finds himself here on the Island. Of course he would think he's in hell! We believe that somehow Locke "willed" him here, but that was actually never said on the show. In fact, Ben said to Locke, "you brought him here." Perhaps what he means is this:

ANSWER #8: Locke's father did not die in the accident. I believe that we will find soon that Locke is going to leave the Island. The question that nobody asked Locke's father was when did the accident happen? See, Locke is going to return to the "present" timeline, and is going to pursue his father. He is going to find him, perhaps he is even going to cause his accident. He is going to drug and kidnap him, unable or unwilling to kill him by himself. He is somehow going to get him to Door #1 of the time machine and send him to the Island, where he already knows that Sawyer will kill him. Locke is going to "bring him here" to the Island... he just hasn't done it yet. When he is on the "outside" in the present, why is he going to do this? Because he has to, because it is destiny... for on the Island, it has already happened. You know Locke loves destiny.

I could go on and on. Why is there a zoo with polar bears? ANSWER #9: The animals are on the Island for testing the effects of the various paradoxes associated with time travel. Perhaps another reason is that by keeping and preserving endangered animals, like polar bears, within this bubble in the past, there is a resource for their recovery should they become extinct in the future. Consider it a Noah's Ark.

How do the Others know so much about the passengers of Flight 815? ANSWER#10: The Others have had perhaps years, with Dharma Industries in the present timeline at Door #1, to research each of the individuals, and transmit this information to the Island. To the audience and the survivors of 815, it seemed like the Others instantly knew about them. However, it likely required years of research to compile the files.

There are still mysteries that remain, and stories that we do not know how they will play out. With this explanation, though, the behavior of the Others is understood. They must protect the timeline AT ALL COSTS. That makes them seem evil to the survivors of 815, but in reality their intentions are to prevent catastrophe.

There are many other stories I haven't touched, but they are all consistent with this basic theory. This includes Desmond's apparent "time loop" he is experiencing, and many others.

This episode had a lot of forward motion and even more traditional action (like "action movie" action) than usual. As usual, I slumped back in my chair and enjoyed the ride. If you think for ONE MINUTE that I'm going to try to make sense of the timelines and chronology of this show, you're off you're rocker! Yet I know that's exactly what so many fans did back in the day.

I said at the beginning I am in this for the characters, not for the sci/fi or the mythology. But you know why this show actually works so well for me? Here's my big reveal: I own a complete run of Heavy Metal magazine from April 1977 through the late '90s. I'm an old school Kurt Vonnegut Jr. / Ray Bradbury fan. I love good science fiction!

Now, I'll grant you, I did kind of grow out of it. Oh, I still check out (or at least read about) sci/fi movies and TV shows, but I don't read much science fiction anymore and my HM subscription has long since lapsed. I'm more of a Mad Men / Breaking Bad / Parenthood kind of old fart now, but I still get a big kick out of sci/fi stuff. I even watched Falling Skies (for the 1st season, then skipped 2/3 of the second, watched 2/3 of the third).

Anyway, all that is to say I get where these commenters and our beloved original Lostie Mike is coming from when they get excited about the mythology, and even though I am all about the characters in Lost, I'm also digging the mythology.

But I can't slice and dice it like you guys do when it gets this complex. So this is where I say that the number of spinning plates this show has to keep going up in the air is a little mind boggling. And this is where I say that, more than any other show that I've ever seen, I can see how multiple viewings (or at least a second viewing) would be entertaining. But to some degree, I just have to let it wash all over me on this go 'round. And let Mike's recap explain what I just saw.

Okay, back to the show! At least long enough to say I was intrigued to see Locke's backstory / life history. The flashbacks got me even more interested in Richard, who was quite interesting to begin with.

The idea that Locke could be Jacob: Given all the time travel that apparently has ALWAYS been going on, this would no longer surprise me.

Yeah, that Matthew Abaddon sure gets around! It's telling that both Abaddon and Richard have tried to influence or recruit Locke in the past. I sense that they have known each other as rivals, perhaps for hundreds of years (one personified in black, the other in white). Abaddon is "on the outs" with the island and is working with Charles Widmore to get it back, while Richard is "in cahoots" with the island and working with Ben to preserve the status quo.

Glad to see Claire is back, whether alive or dead, and can't wait to see Ben and Locke move the island!

Ahh..I STILL think about the timelines of everything. And for the most part (if not all of it), it all adds up!

Well, I figured you were a Sci-Fi fan! lol But, the thing I always say is...all good sci-fi shows/movies are based on great characters. And that's why LOST works so well. Really, any show that has longevity and an invested fanbase, is because people are invested in the characters. That's why so many "LOST Wannabe" type shows failed afterwards. They threw the complex mythology at us without giving us characters that we wanted to go through it with.

How is Mad Men/Breaking Bad for old farts? Even parenthood. I don't want P-hood, but I've heard it's fantastic. How could it not be? Jason Katims did Friday Night Lights before it. But I rank Mad Men and Breaking Bad among the best shows to ever grace the television. (I include LOST, Sopranos and The Wire in that group too) Of course, I'm getting closer to "old fart" territory than I care to admit. lol

Anyway, as I've said time and time again...I'm a character guy too. I got so invested in the mythology BECAUSE of the characters.

I've been following this blog since the end of season 2. This is also my first time watching LOST, as I never was interested when it was popular, for some reason. I thought I'd been spoiled about the ending when it happened, but the more I watch, the more I think that couldn't be the ending, especially with these comments... so now I think I was on the wrong path and am happy about that. I want to ask Mike if he was happy with the ending, but I don't want to spoil myself since I have a feeling that will reveal it for me, haha.

I've been reading all the comments too! There were some massive fights prior. I love that this blog is still up and that Mike is still replying to new watchers, that makes me happy.

I was actually pretty disappointed with the past few episodes since I thought everything was becoming boring with all the questions answered. OK, so obviously it's Widmore vs Ben in the big scheme of things so that's it, right? Cabin Fever changed that for me though.

I am really starting to hate Sayid though, he's hyper aggressive and so angry, it really puts me off. My husband (who's watching these through with me but not as invested, lol) thinks Sayid is simply just an cold-blooded assassin/psychopath and all the tender moments they've shown with him are all just an act, so he doesn't hate him quite as much. I love how Sayid forgets all about being in love with Shannon and is all NADIA NADIA NADIA MY ONE TRUE LOVE now. Bleh.

I actually had something to comment about this episode but can't remember, oops.

I don't think Jacob is Locke, or anyone we know, because I just don't think they would change the name of someone.

Abbadon freaks me out, I keep seeing him as the triangle man from The Wire (triangle shaped body) and it's weird to see him on another show!

I want to know what's up with Hurley. And why do they call him Hurley? Will we ever find out?

Keep it up Mike! And looking forward to reading Miles' comments too, now that we're in a similar spot. Aug 13 we were watching at the same time but I get the feeling Miles has pulled far ahead of me now.

Where are you located, Mike? Just curious. :)

Hopefully I'll be able to make comments soon! But I usually watch the show late at night and read the blog on the train to work, so haven't been taking work time out to comment, unlike what Mike was doing when writing this blog. :P

I just caught your last comment to Miles, Mike, and Breaking Bad is FANTASTIC. We're on the last several episodes now. It's great to binge-watch. I highly recommend it. The characters are the best I've ever watched (along with Homeland & The Wire) and it would be funny to see a role reversal with me & Miles knowing what happens on Breaking Bad while you're going "WOW!!!" after each episode. ;)

Aly, welcome to the blog! Thanks for letting me know you're watching too. :) I'm down the shore this week for vacation so I may be a little slow on replies. But to answer your question I'm from the Philly area. And I may have been a little confusing but I am totally caught up on breaking bad! Love it! One of my favorite shows ever!

Ok I caught up!! So I just have 2 things to say. Firstly, Locke's mum is called Emily. Am I completely mad (I assume I am, as no one else seems to have mentioned it!) but wasn't Ben's mum called Emily?? Are Ben & Locke related??

Also, I will never get over how blaze everyone was about discovering the hatch. I mean, they were marooned on an island living on their wits & all of a sudden there's shelter, a hot shower, a food processor, proper food, MUSIC, beds, a sofa, proper china etc - & they were like 'ooh look what's this computer for' & stayed on the beach!! Then when it imploded they were more concerned about how it happened than the fact that they'd lost all that awesome stuff. Is it weird that this bothers me so much?? I remember it bothering me when I watched the first 2 series back in the day & still haven't made peace with it ��

Hi Emma! No problem on the anonymous post. I was just messin. I had lots of theories around women in Ben's life. I don't think I ever thought about that one. Maybe I did! Can't remember. Anyway, I don't think they're the same person. To add to the creepy factor...the woman that plays ben's mother is actually Michael Emerson's wife (and she was a character on True Blood too. Name is escaping me right now)

Funny I never really thought about the hatch from that perspective! Especially this far into season 4! But, I think they did celebrate the food and shower during season 2. But I think pushing that button got to them all so they probably weren't too upset about not having to do it anymore!